Senior Vice President, Global Prayer Strategies, International Mission Board
We were living on a missions station in Sanyati, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). I was sitting down at the breakfast table between my two youngest brothers and facing my two older brothers across the table. Momma was on my left and Dad was at the head of the table to the right.
As anxious as I was to be about the day’s activities, I knew there was one more step to freedom and only Dad could complete the final phase of this morning routine. I had also learned the futility of trying to rush him. The last thing we did together before the day started was the morning devotional from Open Windows that concluded with the reading of the names of missionaries who were having their birthdays that particular day and then closing with prayer. That was my first introduction to Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU).
For 125 years WMU has been involved in a vital partnership of missions education and advocacy with the International Mission Board (IMB) and for its missionaries scattered around the world. In the early days of Southern Baptist missions, when travel and communication were difficult, WMU played a vital role in “holding the ropes” in prayer support. They formed prayer and support groups that would consistently and faithfully pray for the missionaries.
My parents were medical doctors, running a bush hospital in Zimbabwe. Many times, at a critical time of need, medical supplies were delivered in barrels that had made their way by ocean freight from a WMU group. At Christmas and on our birthdays, many times packages would arrive from WMU groups that had prayed for us and wanted to send us something for these special occasions. Sometimes these were occasions that WMU leaders used to train another generation of young women to participate in as they taught the GAs (Girls Auxiliary) about supporting, praying and advocating for global missions involvement.
I share these personal family examples simply as representative stories because there are literally thousands of other missionaries who could share similar experiences.
Let me share some other ways that WMU plays a key role in the global missions enterprise. When our missionaries have to face the difficult day when the time comes to send their sons and daughters to the United States for college, WMU plays a key role in helping these third culture kids transition into the American culture. On a rotational schedule, state WMU groups host a re-entry and orientation retreat every year for missionary children starting college in the States. This is a key time for these young people. Thank you, WMU, for your love and care of missionary children for these 125 years.
When the time comes for every missionary to make the journey back to America for their stateside break, it is always a challenge to work out the logistics of housing and transportation for this generally temporary timeframe. Many Southern Baptist churches have sought to meet this need by making missionary housing available. There are churches and individuals who have also made places for missionaries to come for rest and vacation. These homes, apartments and facilities are scattered all over the U.S. It was becoming increasingly difficult to manage the growing needs of our missionary force as we passed the 5,000 personnel mark. Into this gap stepped WMU. They took the responsibility for organizing, soliciting and administrating the housing needs of our missionaries while on stateside. Thank you, WMU, for your willingness to always step up and meet the practical caring needs of our missionaries.
Two other key components of WMU’s involvement in the missions enterprise have been the role it had played in missions education and in raising financial support for global missions through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. It is impossible to calculate the global impact of these two aspects of WMU’s influence. Missions education at the local church level and during summer camps have led to thousands hearing and understanding the call to take the gospel to the world. After they respond, WMU has taken the responsibility to make sure we don’t send them without financial support to sustain them. Millions of dollars have been raised every year for this purpose. Thank you, WMU, for 125 years of faithful service.
Without the faithfulness, advocacy and support of WMU, the missions enterprise would have been ineffective. WMU has had a tremendous impact in the lives and ministries of IMB missionaries for 125 years. For generations, they have rallied Southern Baptists to “look to the fields that are white unto harvest.” They have taught and sung the song, “We’ve a story to tell to the nations.” And long before the missions enterprise became a popular topic in the local church, WMU had been raising high the banner of missions. We congratulate them on this anniversary and with all of our heart we thank them.
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